Rail joint



Der, 1s, lvsza .J. K. BOYD ET AL RAIL JOINT Filed June 28, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IW/vena@ @M55 50V@ and /eA//c E 5.4/65.

D 1s, 192a r J. K. BOYD ET AL RAIL JOINTl Filed June 28, 1928 2 sheets-sheet 2 Mm @f Patented Dec. 18, `19278.

UNITED STATES l PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES K. BOYD, F WILKINSBURG, AND FRANK F. SLICK, OF NORTH B RADDOCK,

PENNSYLVANIA.

BAIL JOINT.

Application led June 28,

This invention relates to rail joints and more particularly to a rail joint for railway rails and has for one of its objects the provision of a rail joint that is provided with definite points of contact and intermediate spaces of contraflexure, for the purpose of transmitting and distributing the excess loads and reversing stresses due to rolling wheel loads. j 1 Y Another object, is to provide a rail joint of greater torsional resist-ance than the present designs of rail joints in common use.

A further object is to provide a rail joint that will function properly without regard to design of rail head and `fishing angles.

Y A still further object is to provide a rail joint that is vmaterially lighter in weight than the usual `forms of railjoints of the same strength.

During the past several years railway rails have been greatly improved by changes in section, composition, and methods of manufacture so as to greatly increase the wearing qualities and life. l c i ,The joints for the rails have not been improved at the same rate, however, and consequently the failureof joints land rails at or near the `joints has increased at an alarming rate.

A rail, as mounted in a track, is a continuous beam with theoretically fixed points of support definitelyv located (over the ties) and with intermediate spaces of unrestricted contraiexure (between the ties).

The usual design of `jointsat present is intended to support or reenforce the ends of the rails throughout the length of the joint,

`without allowing definite j points of contact and intermediate spaces" of contraflexure. 40 These joints transmit the excess load and the constantly reversing stresses through the joint members to the ties supporting the ends of the rails, instead of `carrying them to the .adjoining rail for morenearly equal distribution to all the ties and, consequently, sub- Y `stantiallyallthe stresses and loads must Abe H taken `up in the joint with the resultant fail-l ures set forth above. j j n `The present invention provides for definite i points of `contact and intermediate spaces of contraflexure in the joint, ,so that the loads and stresses" are distributed throughout `the `icalsbeyond the joint and .consequently less 192s. serial Noi. 238,891.` f

failure of the joints and the rails adjacent the joints is experienced.

In the drawings: v.

Figure l is a sideelevation of a. rail joint constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line II-II of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end elevation showingthe combined chair and {ish-plate member of the jolnt as it is rolled and prior to being forged and shaped.

Figure 4 is a similar view showing the chair and fish-plate member after it has been forged by a bull-dozing machine to form the alternate depressions and projections in the fish-` plates.

Figure `5 partly in sec-tion, illustrating the wedges adjacent the ends of the combinedfish-plate and chair.

Figure `6 is a similar view illustrating the wedge adjustment at the center of the com` bined fish-plate and chair.

Referring more particularly to the drawings the numeral 2 designates the ties of a railway, and the numeral 3 desi ates the railswhich are of the standard T- ead type.

is a fragmentary detail view The abutting ends of the rails 3 are joined by the combined chair and ishplate member A of this invention, which'is preferably. of a-nintegral or one-piece construction.

The combined chair and'ish-plate member A comprises a base or chair plate portion 5 and integral fish-plate portions 6 which ex-l tend inwardly, as at 6, so as t0 overlie the base flanges of the railsand then extend upwardly parallel with the webs of thel rails to form web engaging portionsb. i A

The fish-'plate portions 6 have their portions` 6a overlying the hase flanges of` the rails 2 shaped by forging or in any other suitable manner, to form alternate projec-` tions and depressions y and 8, thereby pro- Y viding definite points of contact of the fish.-

late members 6 with the rail base flanges and intermediate spaces of contraiiexure; and producingcorresponding depressions 7a and elevations A8a on the exposed faces.

The fish-plateportions Gare provided with a lurality of openings 9 adjacent their lower e ges, that is, adjacent their uncture' with the chair or baseplate 5, and t e openings 9 in the opposite fish-plates are in alinement. There are preferably three of the sets of openings 9 provided, one set of which is provided adjacent each end of the fish-plates, and one set of which is provided at approximately the vertical center of the fish-plates. The Aopenings 9, adjacent the ends of the fish-plates,V f,

plates 6.

The ends of the rails 3 meet or abut adjacent the center of the openings 9 at the center of the fish-plates and, since it is desirable to provide'individual means for forcing the separate rails up into engagement with the fish-platesG, three Wedges 12, 13 and ll, are

` mounted in the openings 9 at the center of the fish-plates. The lower wedge 12is substantially the complete Width of the center openings 9 and underlies the ends of both rails, while the wedges 13 and letare directed opposite to and are only one-half the Width of the Wedge 12,`so as to underlie the ends of the separate rails. Thus driving in of the Wedges 13 and 14 will permit the separate adjustment of theends of the rails 3.

The several'wedges 10, 12, 13 andle serve to provide definite points of contact between the base flanges ofthe rails and the chair or base-plate 5 and cooperate with the projections 7 and depressions 8 of the fish-plates to provide definite points of contact and intermediate spaces of contraflexure for the rails,

Vso as to transmit and distribute the excess loads and reversing stresses due to the rolling Wheel loads to the adjoining rail body for distribution to all the ties.

The fish-plates 6 are provided with the usual `bolt openings through which the usual joint bolts 15 are passed to secure the rails and fish-plates together.

The combined chair and fishplate member A lends itself readily to commercial manu` facture, since it may beprincipally formed by rolling. A section like that of Figure 3 is first rolled, at which time thechairor base portion isvarched. The section-is then ycut to length and forged in what is known as a bull-(lozing machine to form the alternate "projections and depressions 7 and 8.

The openings 9 for the wedges and the holes for the bolts 16 may be punched either before or after the forging operation, and

the structure is then complete ence t that it must be. bent intoffinal shape by; attemng'- outthe' arched `chair-or base ortlon 5.

`Wh1le We have shown an described one specific form of our invention, it will be understood that We do not Wish to bo limited thereto since various modifications mary be made without departing from thc scopo thereof as defined in the appended claims.

LA rail joint comprising, in combination, a pair of rails, a combined chair and fish-plate member connecting said rails, said combined chair and fish-plate member comprising a'base portion and fish-plate portions, said fish-plate portions having `inwardly extendingiportions overlying the bascflanges of said rails and npstanding web engaging portions, said imvardly extending portions ofsaid lish-plate portions overlying the base flanges of said rails being provided with al ternate projections and depressions so as to form definite points of contact and intcrn1ediate spaces of cont afiexnre for the rails.

2. A rail joint comprising, in con'ibination, t

a pair of rails, a combined chair and fishplate member connecting said rails, said combined chair and fish-plate member coinprisinfz a'base portion and' fish-plate portions,

said fish-plato portions having inwardly extending' portions overlying the basella'npges of said rails and upstanding web engaging portions, said inwardly extending portions of said sh-plate portions overlying the base flanges of said rails beiner provided with al ternate projections and cpressions so as to form definite points of Contact and intermcdiatc spaces of contraflcxure for' the Tails, and `means for forming a plurality of spaced points of contact betweenjsaid base portion `ofsaid combined chair and fish-plate inem ber and the under side ofthe base flan es of said rails, said means being mounted Jelow said projections on said fish-plates.

3. A rail joint comprising, in combination, a pair of rails, a combined chair and fish plate member connecting said rails, said com bined chair and fish-plate member comprising a base yportion and fish-plate portions, said fish-plate portionshavin inwardly extending `portions,overlying; the ase flanges `of said rails and upstanding,r web engaging portions, said imvardlyextending portions of said fishplate portions overlying the base flanges of` said rails being provided with alternate rojections and depressions so as to form definite 1points of contact and intermediate spaces of contraflexure for therails, and adjustable means for forming a plurality of spaced Ypoints of contactbetween' said baseportion of saidicornbined chair and lishilate member e and the under side of the base anges of said rails, said means being mounted beloivlsaid `projections on said fish-plates.

e. A railjoint com rising, `in combination, a pan` of rails, a combined chair and fish-plate member connectmgaid ra1ls,sa1d combined vchair and fish-plate member comprising a base portion iandfish-plate portions, said fish-plate lill) llO portions having inwardly extending portions overlying the base flanges of said rails and upstanding web engaging portions, said inwardly extending portions of said fish-plate portions overlying the base flanges of said rails being provided with alternate proj ections and depressions so as to form definite points of contact and intermediate spaces of contraiexure for the rails and vertically adjustable means for forming a plurality of spaced points of contact between said base portion of said combined chair and fish-plate member and the under side of the base flanges of said rails, one of said means being mounted under the juncture point of said rails so as to underlie both of said rails, said last named means being adapted to be independently adjusted vertically under said respective rails.

5. A rail joint Comprising, in combination, a pair of rails, a combined chair and fish-plate member connecting said rails, said combined chair and fish-plate member comprising a base portion and integral fish-plate portions, said fish-plate portions having inwardly extending portions overlying the base flanges of said rails and upstanding web engaging portions, said inwardly extending portions of said fishplate'portions overlying thel base'anges of said rails being provided with alternate pro jections and depressions so as to form definite points of Contact and intermediate spaces of contraflexure for the rails, said fish-plate portions being provided with a plurality of openings adjacent their juncture with said base portion of said chair and fish-plate member and the openings in one fish-plate being in alinement with the openings in the other fishplate, said openings being located below the projections on said fish plates, oppositely directed wedge men'ibers positioned in said openings in said fish-plates and extending between the base iianges of said rails and the base portion of said combined chair and fishplate member, one of said openings in each of said fish-plate portions being in line with the juncture point of said rails and three of said wedge members being positioned in said openings, said last named wedge members consisting of a ylower single wedge member and a pair of upper wedge members arranged side-by-side on said lcwer wecflgemember, one on each side of' the juncture point of said rails whereby said upper Wedge members may be Y independently adjusted to elevate said rails. j

6. A rail joint comprising, in combination, a pair of rails, a fish-plate member connecting said rails, said fish-plate member having inwardly extending portions overlying the base flanges of' said rails and up'standing web engaging porti ons', said inwardly extending portions of said fish-plate portions overlying the base flanges of' said rails being provided with alternate projections and depressions so as to form definite points of contact and intermediate spaces of contraflexure for the rails. In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands.

JAMES K. BOYD. FRANK F. SLIGK. 

